Donald Trump woke up in Palm Beach on Wednesday as president-elect of the United States.
His neighbors woke up to a world of uncertainty: What happens next to the prosperous town, which is effectively cut in half by a closed road next to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club?
So far, the same strict road closures called for by the Secret Service and prompted by the July 13 attempted assassination of Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania remain in effect, according to City Manager Kirk Blouin.
The city of Palm Beach is a vertical barrier island just over 10 miles long with only one north-south road, South Ocean Boulevard, near Mar-a-Lago. So if part of South Ocean Boulevard is closed, many people on the island will be upset because it will become almost impossible to get around.
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When that road closure was first announced, it was supposed to happen around the clock every day, even if Trump wasn’t home.
The city challenged the agency’s authority to keep the road closed if Trump is away from home for an extended period of time, Blouin said. In August, the city, Mar-a-Lago, the Secret Service and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office announced a deal to reopen South Ocean Boulevard when Trump is not home. Although officials have not indicated how long is enough to remove the barricades, it appears Trump will need to be gone for more than two days.
Residents and people visiting, delivering or working in the area within the checkpoints will only be able to enter and exit the area through the northern end of the closure.
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If Trump had lost the election, it was believed the barricades could be removed “because the threats would diminish,” Blouin said.
With his victory, the extent of the road closures will depend on how often Trump visits Palm Beach, Blouin said.
“People are understandably angry,” he says. “Whether you are a resident, a business owner, an employee in some way or a visitor to the city, chances are you will be stuck in traffic, especially during the morning and evening rush hours.”
Blouin said the Secret Service did not tell the city the road closure would change.
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Blouin said the issue could come up as part of public comment from residents at next week’s city council meeting.
“They are frustrated,” Blouin said of the dozens of residents who have reached out with concerns about the road closure.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Trump won. What does that mean for the road near Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach?
